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During the years of 1976-78, my sole purpose in life was to identify and eliminate those weak of mind, heart or body who aspired to join our beloved Corps. Many did not have what it took to join our ranks and they returned to civilian life.
Look at the face of the recruit standing next to me in the picture. You can tell that he has been under stress for an extended period of time. I remember him well; he was a small kid, probably not an athlete in high school and the physical training was very difficult for him in the beginning of boot camp, to the point where just barely squeaked by on some of the graded PT events. I saw this and immediately devoted a great amount of effort toward finding out whether or not he had the heart to join us and be relied upon in times of war. I did everything I could possibly do to break his spirit and will to endure, and in the beginning there were times I thought he was about to admit defeat and ask to be sent home to his mother. But?he did not quit. In fact, he grew mentally stronger by day and it became more difficult for me to affect him, and believe me, I was doing my best to do so. Ultimately, I realized that while he weighed perhaps 140 lbs on a good day, his heart was as big as that of any Marine who ever wore our uniform and that he was going to be one of us. I never saw him again after he graduated from boot camp. No matter how his life turned out, he?ll always be able to rightfully say that he truly paid a heavy price to join our Corps. At some point in our lives, each of us was this recruit. When times got tough, so did we, and in the process we earned that which is ours forever ? the title of United States Marine.
Happy Birthday, Marines!
Semper Fidelis, Mike
Look at the face of the recruit standing next to me in the picture. You can tell that he has been under stress for an extended period of time. I remember him well; he was a small kid, probably not an athlete in high school and the physical training was very difficult for him in the beginning of boot camp, to the point where just barely squeaked by on some of the graded PT events. I saw this and immediately devoted a great amount of effort toward finding out whether or not he had the heart to join us and be relied upon in times of war. I did everything I could possibly do to break his spirit and will to endure, and in the beginning there were times I thought he was about to admit defeat and ask to be sent home to his mother. But?he did not quit. In fact, he grew mentally stronger by day and it became more difficult for me to affect him, and believe me, I was doing my best to do so. Ultimately, I realized that while he weighed perhaps 140 lbs on a good day, his heart was as big as that of any Marine who ever wore our uniform and that he was going to be one of us. I never saw him again after he graduated from boot camp. No matter how his life turned out, he?ll always be able to rightfully say that he truly paid a heavy price to join our Corps. At some point in our lives, each of us was this recruit. When times got tough, so did we, and in the process we earned that which is ours forever ? the title of United States Marine.
Happy Birthday, Marines!
Semper Fidelis, Mike